Hello and just saying thanks...

[Christophe]

Hello everyone,

First off, I have a hectic mind. I'm dyslectic, apologise for spelling mistakes, bad grammar and 'weird story telling structure'. Normally I don't post on forums in general, but have found the courage to do so and just want to thank everybody who is contributing to this forum. I've found very useful info, watched a lot of pictures - to dream away and get inspiration, checked what could be handy - or what I thought would be handy and learned might not be handy for me, laughed at funny stuff and sometimes got scared while reading members bad experiences, read how some members vw cali is a safe place for their autistic kid,.. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

I'm a 24 years old, self employed, and recently proud owner of a 2014 T5 Cali SE 140 DSG. The VW California has been my dream car since I was 16/17.

It's actually the first 'car' I own.. I've bought it, with my own earned money, second hand with about 45000km.
Pretty weird as a first car.. I know.. I went for the Cali because I'm travelling about 10 months a year, with 6 months outside of Europe, for my job, and at home I actually just continue my job too doing smaller weekends here and there, or catching up with friends and family.

Travelling this much takes it toll on you.. feeling like you're never home and wasting valuable time finding affordable flights, accommodation and rental cars, getting ripped off (not returning deposits, especially when I was 18/19 because ugly people mess with 'spoiled' kids that need to get their flight back home.. sad..), or paying double for underage rental fee, made me wish I had a Cali since a way too long time (couldn't afford one, obviously ha!).
Now on all my EU trips, I'll be able to just drive off, put on some music (pink floyd!!! whenever I start a road trip) and just cruise to my destination. I'll have my home with me for a big part of the year and that feels great, especially after having a huge burn out / dealing with depression.
My job consist of creating creative content, doing competitions, lots training (eat, nap, train once more, will now be possible, which is good, I love what I do) and attending events / trade shows, .. It can be very stressful and my van will be my safe place too.

The accessoires I currently have are the MFT euro select box, I need space for my stuff.. (It's very thin plastic so I'll need to reinforce it.. Will post about that once I've done it.. and figured out a good way to do it as clean as possible, suggestions welcome.) VW tailgate bike rack, some cheap seat 'backpacks' (not sure how it's called, bought on amazon), Wi-Fi antenna to get better signal from the temporary neighbours or mc donalds (don't eat that stuff, toilet and wifi yes!) and some 'packing cubes' that will be handy for storing / compressing clothing.

Roofbars, I still haven't found what I'm searching for.. I want some aerodynamic roofbars that are very low, for occasionally bringing a surfboard with me when visiting France on shorter trips, or perhaps an small roofbox for longer trips? If any suggestions, more than welcome..

I'm currently outside of EU, will be home in March. Before I left I've slept twice in my Cali (in front of my mothers house haha) to 'test' it out. Loved it! Altho I'm having a blast where I am right now, I'm very excited to have my first trip in my Cali

I will try to share my experiences and tips once I get to know my van better. Sorry no pictures.. those are on my phone only atm.. It's a black one.. looks bad ass imo..

Why do people name their California? I like the word 'van' or 'T5' most actually.. Maybe I'll understand once I actually have a real trip.. Well, I just wanted to browse the forum and ended up writing my first post.. Just realised midnight where I am, so.. good night?

Safe travels,
Christophe

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome , a first long post ....great stuff , you are on work trips and vacation at the same time in your "van" !
Witch part of Belguim are you from?

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Welcome @Christophe - Great post

 

[T6 CFO]

Hi Christophe and welcome.


Mike

 

[Meoncoast]

we call our Cali a "van" so not into naming our transport

 

[Lewis]

Welcome! Maybe the youngest owner on the forum?! Enjoy your travels!

 

[Richard Teale]

Great post Christophe and no apology needed for grammar, structure and style - way better than most stuff you read in people's blogs online. Glad to hear you're making your California your own and using it as your primary transport as well as your home from home. Welcome and safe driving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sapto]

As above: Great first post Christophe! Enjoy your time where ever you are at the moment and no one is too young to full fill their dreams (aka buy a van/cali). You can read a couple of times that people wish they buy their cali earlier in their life however I bet you've done just the right thing and wish you some great trips with/without your new van!

Welcome and stay safe and sound.
sapto

 

[Alibee]

Great first post, and a fantastic age to have your first Cali. Definitely the right tool for the job, hope you enjoy it!

 

[Christophe]

Thanks you the kind replies

@hotel california I'm from the Belgian coast.

 

[Rich20]

Welcome, well done on achieving what many only wish they could do. You seem to using your Cali to its full potential.

 

[Amarillo]

Hello everyone

I nominate this for "Post of the Month".

 

[BikerGran]

Hi Christophe and welcome! Great post and no-one on here will think it strange to have a Cali as your first vehicle. I got my first Cali last year and I'm 69 so we're at opposite ends of the ages. I have to comment on the 'dyslexic' bit as your english is amazing and it's so encouraging as my 10 year old grandson is severely dyslexic but he's had some excellent teaching and is just starting to read for pleasure instead of because he has to!

What is it you're training for?

 

[David Worthington]

Nice, nice post Christophe!

So your midnight post appeared at 5.10 PM - which could mean you're seven hours east of the UK - which places you somewhere around Russia, China, Thailand or similar?!!!...are you in your van?!
Wherever you are I hope you're having a great time.

I agree on names by the way... we have one but is's never stuck - "Let's take the van" just sounds so much more authentic.

Cheers, Dave

 

[Borris]

Great post Christopher. I hope that you have many happy adventures in your Cali.

Here in GB it is quite normal for all sorts of inanimate objects to have names. Some times that reflects the affection we have for the item and sometimes the name idicates that it's mother and father weren't married.

 

[Christophe]

I have to comment on the 'dyslexic' bit as your english is amazing and it's so encouraging as my 10 year old grandson is severely dyslexic but he's had some excellent teaching and is just starting to read for pleasure instead of because he has to!

What is it you're training for?

Warning: haha

Well.. The bit where I realised it's already midnight was because it took me so long to write it! haha
I have to re-read every word/sentence I write for so long, and every time I'll find another mistake. Also long live computers.. My handwriting is like a child and is probably my biggest embarrassment.
I don't really want to disclose what I'm training for / my job (maybe one day, but unlikely). Let's say I'm among the best at what I do, and it's my job, well known in a certain sport/community. (It's a 'alternative' sport, bummer I'm not a soccer player, I'd be having my California since I would be 15 then! hahah)
Sometimes I need to hand out signatures and when people want me to write their names (Fç"(à!è&(àç!è&(ck / Sh!çé'à"(àç!èt goes through my mind every time, panic, stress)
I have to ask them to spell it, 95% of the time. I write their names down, and then I see them looking at me like: 'You dumb?! You can't write?! You don't care do you?!' (Especially adults.. kids don't care and they are just stoked.)

I've been diagnosed around age 7. I speak French at home/family, learned Dutch in school/friends, and English, from movies, school, travelling. I also switch up between languages or combined words. (example: Elephant => French, éléphant - Dutch, Olifant - my language as a kid and to way lesser degree now, é-lofant)

People don't understand being dyslectic very well. We are seen as dumb people, and for a very long time I thought I was too. This is extremely counter productive. So my best advice is (for me that was..), show him that being dyslectic has nothing to do with being smart or stupid and also that it's not always a limitation. In general; We think out of the box, we are really good problem solvers, we remember more than average people, since writing is well.. eum, kind of an issue sometimes... Makes sure he finds his things his good at, if not the best! People that only work on their weaknesses will be mediocre at best. Don't get me wrong, it is important to work on your weaknesses, but working on your strengths and talents will get you way further in life.
School is not life, school does not define your grandson abilities or disabilities. (School IMHO is actually wrong on so many levels.. but that's another topic, note: I did not go to a specialised school..)

You said he recently started reading because of pleasure, that is great!! And I think the issue will 'solve' itself. The Harry Potter books helped me heaps as a kid, I've finished all of them, then had to wait for the new one to come out.. the 'issue' was that I had no idea what to read in between.. I also was stubborn tho.. So keep feeding him books you liked as a kid, or books you think he might like. Get him excited about books if he seems uninterested. Example: start telling a story, but then do like you don't remember exactly, or how it get's so much better but you would spoil to much and ruin it for him..

One last thing, I used to be in music school, I loved playing my musical instrument, but all the notes are just dancing in front of my face. I couldn't sing the Do - Re - Mi - Fa.. Hated all the theorie lessons and failed because of it too. It would have helped me heaps to just color code every note.. Wish someone did that for me as a kid, I've realised this years later when I quite. So if he does, do that, and bigger sheets of paper too!

All the best and good luck

(This post took me about one hour and half to write.)

 

[Christophe]

@David Worthington
I'm in Phuket/Thailand. Not with the Cali, those trips will start in a few months and will be more limited to Europe / Scandinavia, maybe Morocco too!
There are so many vans from Toyota here that would make a pretty good alternative Cali. I see the taxi drivers take naps in the shade with their van wide open, just makes me day dream about my first trips with my van!

 

[BikerGran]

Thanks Christophe - Elliot is indeed reading Harry Potter! And all the things you say about dyslexics also apply to him, he's very good at thinking round things, and he loves life and takes every chance he is offered to do different things, as well as running and cycling which he loves.

I agree that one of the best things his special teacher did for him made him able to say to people "It's difficult for me to read it because I have dyslexia" - he also has wonderful parents who encourage him - his dad is probably dyslexic too but was never diagnosed, but he has done very well through being determined like Elliot!